Clinometer



W. E. AUSTEN CLINQMETER Filed Oct. 19, 1944v Sept.v 21, 1948.

WeMu/Eiwmw" 2y @sen- Patented Sept. 2l, 1948 NT oFFIcE e .CLINOMETER p Walter Edward Austen, Melbourne, f

#if lVictoria, Australia l Application'vOctober 19, 1944, Serial No.v l559,406

In Australia September 11, 1943 'I'hisinvention relates to improve-ments in clinometers; More specifically, it'refersl to animproved hand instrument which will be .found to have a wide range of uses in measuring' or lindicating angles of elevation and inclination; 'dihedral angles, the opening vanglesof doors, and the slope of plane andcurved surfaces.v A principal object ofthe inventionis'to provide an efficient clinometer ofcompact,l durable construction which is capable of being manufactured economically so as to be available at vrelatively loW cost to surveyors, engineersfand other technicians in addition to manufacturers who from time'l to time have need for an instrument of this nature. The improved clinometer comprises a levelbar provided at a suitable location with a bubble tube. Slots are formed in the upper surface and also in the opposite sides of the leVel-barin order that the bubble tube can be inspected in the'different poistions at which the instrument is capable of being set. A protractor is pivotallytt'ed to one end of the level-bar, landr means arejprovided for locking it in pivotallly adjusted position. Legs of equal length are provided on the underneath surface of the level-bar at right angles to the same. One of the legs is at the end of the Iinstrument opposite* to thevprotractor head and has its outer surface' flush with the end of the level-bar. The instrument 'may be placed flatwi'se on either of its sides to provide-'a wide area of contact on a spongy surface, or'it lcan be supported lengthwise by yresting upon both legs. Alternatively, the instrumentcan be held with the outer surface of the vertical or steeply inclined surface.

Securely fitted in the protractor head is a transverse spindle whereon is fitted a freely rotatable bearing having attached thereto a pointer which is gravity-actuated by a depending Weighted member. A protractor is pivotally fitted about said spindle vand it is independently adjustable. Means are provided for holding the protractor' stationarily in adjusted position.

A device is provided for use with the lclinometer when the weighted member has beenI detached from the freely rrotatable bearing and the instrument is to be used for measuring or indicating the angles of openings of hingedly mounted bjects land for similar purposes. The said device comprises a long arm adapted for connection at one end to said bearing and vhaving at its opposite end a slidably fitted sleeve or guide -provided with attachment means.

v An exemplaryembodiment of the invention is" end leg against a 1 6 Claims. (Cl. 33-218) icheek' plates 4l1 and I3,

, 2 4. illustrated in the accompanying drawings, `to which` reference is now' made for the' purpose of a detailed description.

l1 isa view illustrating the improved cli- ,noineter in side elevation.

Fig. 2'is a plan view of the same'. l Fig. 3 is a. section on enlarged sleale on the linesf3-3 of Fig. 1. v 4

Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the protractor.

In these views 2 designates a level-bar formed of suitable metal and adapted to be rigidly supported by legs 3 and 4 which `are'of equal `length and disposed at right 'anglesto said bar. The level-bar and its supporting legs, which 'may be of any suitable shape n cross-section and `are preferably of hollow construction, are machined so that their surfaces are Vflat and4 opposite surfaces of leach of the said instrumenty parts are in parallelism. The leg 3 is'positioned to- Awlards one end of'lthe level-bar, While the other leg 4 is situated at the opposite end of the instrument and has its outer surface accurately aligned with the end of said level-bar. Thus, the linstrument can be supported horizontally bythe llegs 3 and 4 as seen in Fig. 1, and it is also adapted to be set in upright fashion with the outer end of the bar and the alignedleg 4 serving as a supportingbase. f

A bubble tube 5 of the'description used in spirit levels is firmly` seated in a'recess which is formed accurately inthe upper portion of the bar 2vnear one'end, and slots G in the top and sidesurfaces of said bar vpermit observationsto be made of the vapor bubble When the instrument is supported in different positions.

' Secured in' the level-bar 2 is a screw or rivetl which provides an anchorage for one end of a helical'tension spring 8 having its oppositeend Afastened to an eye-bolt Svpassi'ng through the rmlyheld in abutment 'with the end of the level-bari, as seen in Fig. 1, by the tension of the-said spring. The spring tension may be ald--v justed by turning the nut on the eye-bolt,and

the protractor head is adapted for pivotal move- :ment about the eye-bolt 9 whereby it can beconve'nliently set at different angles to the level-bar asv from time to time is necessary or desirable.

' The protractor head IU has two parallel, spaced the latter having an upward extension I4. A bolt I5 is fitted transversely through said cheek plates and is rigidly held in position by a nut I6. C'lamped on the bolt I5 between said cheek plates I2 and I3 are the following integers: a spacing washer I1, a ball race I8, a spring washer I9, a clamping plate having a friction sheet 2| fastened thereto, and a. protractor 22.

The protractor 22 which is of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 consists of `a flat plate 23 substantially of segmental shape having around its perimeter graduations 24 indicating suitable angular measurements. The plate 23 has a boss 25 provided with an `axial hole wherein is i'ltted'av sleeve 26. This sleeve 25 is of slightly greater thickness than the plate 23 and it is preferably made of bre so that when assembled between the cheek plates I2 and I3 the said sleeve is clamped tightly on the bolt I5 while the plate 23 may be moved pivotally about said sleeve. An arcuate slot 2] is cut in the plate 23 and when assembled as shownv in Fig. 3 a screw 28 is fitted through a hole'in the clampingy plate 20 and friction sheet 2|, slot 21, and a. hole in the upward extension I4 of the cheek plate I3. This screw is preferably secured in the clamping `plate 20, as by'welding, and a wing nut 2,9 is ntted on said screw so that the plate 2B, protractor 7,2 and plate I4; may be clamped together by tightening the wing-nut 29, thereby securing said pro tractor in any set position.

The ball race I8 has an inner sleeve 30 which is a push fit on the boltl I5, and an outer cage 3| which is constructed with a lug 3?. and a tapped hole 33v diametrically opposite` to said. lug, Secured to the lug 32l by means of a screw 34 is a pointer 35. This pointer may be a plain arrowheadpointer-but it preferably comprises an arm 36 having at its outer end a Vernier head 31 as is shown in Fig. 1. v

A swinging arm 38 carrying at its lower end av weight 39 is screw-threaded at its upper end as indicated by 4U whereby: it is threadedly en* gaged in the tapped hole 33 in the ball-race` cage 3l.

An arrester 4'.I isV fastened to the cheek;` plate I3 by screws 42 for the purpose of restraining thev pointer 35 against movement to vpermit accurate readings of the protractor to be made,y especially when the instrument, is being used in some elevated position. The said arrester comprises two spacedy arms 43 constructed of spring steel or like resilient material anda, connecting bar 44 whereo-n a sleeve 45 of rubber or other suitable gripping material is fixed. The parts of the arrester are so arranged that by light finger pressure the sleeve 45 is moved into, contact withy the arm 38 and holdsthe latter against movement until a reading of the pointer in relationV te the scale 24. has taken place, whereupon release of the` finger pressure permits the arresterto spring back to itsv normal inoperative position.

Although the protractor head lli is maintained firmly in abutment with the level bar 2 by the tension of the spring 8 it is permittedV movement relatively to said level-bar. Consequently, the risk of said protractor head being seriously damaged in the event of the instrument being accidentallydropped onto a hard surface ,is minimized.

The graduations 24 of the protractor are from zero at the vertical centre to '70 degrees on both the left and the right hand side of this vertical centre of the protractor. lThis, greatly facilitates readingsof the instrument, I-f the movements of the pointer 35 besuch that it passesbeyopd ,the

limits of the graduations 24, the screw 34 by means of which said pointer is fastened to the lug 32 on the bearing cage 3i can be loosened and the pointer then set angularly to the arm 3B instead of being in vertical alignment therewith as is seen in Fig. 1, By making a suitable numerical adjustment of the readings of the clinometer the full range of movement of said pointer canthen be determined.

What I do claim is:

1. An improved clinometer comprising, a, level bar, a pivotal protractor head resiliently mounted on the level bar and adapted to be held in adjusted'pivotal position, a spindle securely fitted in said protractor head, a freely rotatable bearing on said spindle, a weighted arm connected to said bearing, a lug on said bearing, an index pivotally connected to said bearing lug, a protractor pivotally mounted on said spindle, clamping plates fitted on said spindle on opposite sides of said protractor, an arcuate slot in said protractor, a bolt iitted through said clamping plates and said protractor, a nut on said bolt adaptedv to cause theclamping plates to grip the protractor to hold itin adjusted position, and a resiliently mounted arrester onthe protracto-r head adapted to be pressed against the weighted arm to restrain the index against movement whilst readings of the instrument are beine entde-y 2. `An improved clinometer according to claim l, the arrester comprising two oppositelyv positioned resilient arms and a link carriedby said arms, said link being provided with a cover strip of material adapted toirictionally restrain the weighted arm against movement.

3. An improved clinometerv according to claim 1, the level bar having supporting legs, a recess formed in said level bar, a studftted transversely through said level bar, the protractor head comprising a, usshaped bracket, a bolt pivotally connecting said bracket to said level bar, and a tension spring connected at its Opposite ends. to said stud and said bolt to permit flexibility of movement of said bracket.

4. A Clinometer comprising in combination a level-,bar of hollow construction, a transverse screw orrivet being passed throughy said levelbar, a bolt being passed through the end of the level-bar and throughthe adjacent end of the protractor head, a helical tens-ion spring being connectedat one end of said screw or rivet and at its opposite end to said bolt, a protractor head pivoted en said bolt, a spindle securely itted in Vsaid protractor head, a protractor angularly ad.-

iustable on said spindle, means for locking said protractor in angularlyadjusted position, a'bearingv rotatable on said-spindle, a pointer or Vernier head secured to said bearing, means for angularly; adjustingV said pointer or ver-nier head on said bearing, a weighted arm secured to said bearing to` gravitationally move said pointer or Vernier head, `and supporting means carried by said levelfbar.

5. A clinometer comprising in combination a level-bar, a protractor head pivotally ttedv to saidv levelvbar and provided with two` parallel spaced cheek plates, a bolt being passed transversall-y through said cheek plates, a spacing washer supported by said bolt, a ball race pro,- vided with a turnable outer cage and supported by said bolt. esprime washer supported by said bolt, a clamping plate provided with a friction ,sheetand also supported by said bolt, a protractor clamped on said bolt between said cheek bla-tes,A means for locking. said protraetor.- in angularly adjusted position, a pointer or Vernier head secured to the outer cage of said ball race, means for angularly adjusting said pointer or Vernier head on said outer cage of said ball race, a Weighted `arm secured to said outer cage of said ball race to gravitationally move said pointer or Vernier head, and supporting means carried by said level-bar.

6. A clinometer comprising in combination a level-bar, a protractor head pivotally iitted to said level-bar, means for maintaining said protractor head in pivotally adjusted position, a spindle securely fitted in said protractor head, a protractor angularly adjustable on said spindle, means forlocking said protractor in angularly adjusted position, a bearing rotatable on said spindle, a pointer or Vernier head secured to said bearing, means for angularly adjusting said pointer or Vernier head on said bearing, a weighted arm secured to said bearing to gravita.- 'tionally move said pointer or Vernier head, supporting means carried by said level-bar, and an arrester` resiliently mounted on said protractor head and adapted to be pressed against the weighted arm and restrain the pointer or Vernier head against movement While readings of the instrument are taking place. 

